Devilish Pride!

Pride is so easy!  Is there a one of us that can say that this devil does not rise within us beating us down in our Christian walk?  Oh how I loathe my pride, but what I loathe more than that, is my inability to conquer this most destructive of behaviors.  I weep with David in Psalm 51 “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:  according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.  Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.   Against thee, thee only, have i sinned, and done this evil in thy sight:  that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”  I weep with Peter after that rooster crowed and Christ looked at him.  I cry with Paul in Romans, “The things that I desire I do not and the things that I desire not, that I do. . . O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?!”  Oh how I hate pride, but I am most blind to that which I hate in my own self.  O Jesus, the killer of pride who thought nothing of yourself but laid upon yourself the reward of my pride, have mercy upon me.  Oh holy God seated upon the great and mighty throne, surrounded by the flaiming Ones,  have mercy upon me a man of unclean lips and one who dwells in the midst of unclean people. With Job, I question you, yet when I hear and see the Creator, even in the days of my youth, I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.  Oh, Christ, you who turned and asked if they too would leave You, I echo what your disciples said, “To whom shall I go, you have the Words of Life!”  Grant my Your power to live a life for You and kill this wretched pride! If idleness is the devil’s workshop as some bards say, then the great work being done by the devil’s lathe is pride.  He has built it and honed and finely finished it and he has worked it in my heart and I did not even recognize it.  But praise be to you O Lord, who multiplies joy in my sorrow, who banishes darkness from light.  You are the Light of the world, the Living Word, and the quickening Spirit.  You are my hope and confidence and I yearn to know You, to escape this vile flesh and feast my eyes upon Your glory.  Come quickly Lord Jesus, but until then teach me what it means to humbly obey You, my God and King.